Anthesis
by pinkusako
Summary: Efflorescence is the blossoming of flowers. Anthesis is the expansion of flowers. This is a side story to Efflorescence, filled with moments shared between Natsu, Happy and Freya. More fluffy, family moments and the growing love between Natsu and Freya. -Rated M, Romance/Fluff/Family/Adventure-


**This is going to be a side story that goes along with my Fanfiction - Efflorescence. It is happy/fluffy/family/adventure moments that I didn't put into the main fanfic as it would make it much longer than its going to be. I will do my best to keep the chapters in chronological order, but it may not always work out that way. There are many chapters, but none of them will contain major plot points. You can read this without reading Efflorescence if you wish, but you may not fully understand the dynamic between Natsu/Freya/Happy as well as the pairing Natsu/Freya.**

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 **Chapter One: My Resolution**

 **-X778-**

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The cold air was crisp as everyone within Fairy Tail sat within the park of Magnolia. The clear endless night sky above them. Each of them drinking either hot cider or hot chocolate as they waited to bring in the new year.

Natsu was wearing long sleeves, which surprised Freya though admittedly it was well below freezing. Freya chose to dress a little more appropriately for the weather, though the cold didn't particular bother her either.

She wore a black sweater dress that she knitted herself with white leggings. Over her dress she was wearing a black double breasted wool coat. Happy was tucked away within her coat, his head peeking out from the top of it, purring away.

It had been almost a year ago when she was huddle within a cave in nothing but a tattered dress. Her heart clenched within her chest as she recalled running down the hill and through the forest. Meeting Granny within a small town.

Her heart clenched within her chest as she recalled waking up alone within this world, with nothing and no one. Only names with her heart leading her to her fated destination.

The images of a woman falling to the ground, a sword being withdrawn briefly flashed through her mind. She sharply bit down onto her bottom lip with her fangs, desperately trying to shove it out of her mind. It had only been a nightmare, it had to be.

She looked into her empty cup pondering upon what her New Year's resolution should be. She heard from Natsu and the others it was a tradition to make one, but she only drew a blank.

She looked back up and over to where Natsu was. He had gotten up while she was lost within her thoughts to get them both another cup of hot apple cider.

He quickly ran back over with a grin holding out her cup. Smiling she reached up for her cup as she placed the empty one down next to her.

He plopped down next to her, his hot breath making small puffs of clouds appear that would quickly float away and dissipate.

The hovering clock within the air signaled there was only ten more minutes until the new year.

"What's your new year's resolution, Natsu?" Maybe if she heard his she would have a better idea for one for herself.

Natsu was in the middle of chugging the spicy cider. As he turned to look at her he put his cup down. He hadn't really thought of one himself. Well he did have one but it wasn't quite what he wanted to set out to do next year. He did but he didn't.

He studied her face, the stars reflected within her endless green eyes as she gazed upon the clock. Her nose was slightly red from the cold and her cheeks were flushed.

It had been to beat Erza in a duel and while he still wished to do that in the upcoming year so that he could prove just how strong of a dragon slayer he was; he was wanting to do something else now to in the upcoming year.

He couldn't actually say it aloud. It was silly and he was even embarrassed to say it. They haven't been together long, but he really wanted for the three of them to be together. He felt at home with Freya and Happy, something he hadn't had until they came into his life. One by chance, and another by fate. He pulled his scarf up to hid his blushing cheeks.

"To get stronger to protect you and Happy." He mumbled into his scarf as he looked away. They were after all, all he had in his life to call a true family and he would do whatever it took to protect what meant the most to him.

Freya turned her head as she blinked a few times before a blush spread across her cheeks even more so. She quickly smiled and looked down into the cup of steaming cider.

Now she had a better idea of what making a New Year's resolution meant. It was to become someone better, for others around them.

She had a darkness within her own heart that slept. A crushing emotion if allowed to take control would forever change you; resentment. After all she had seen, after being at the mercy of others during her travels it had grown inside her heart.

She didn't want to be someone who hated the world, or the people within it. Even after all that has happened to her just to get to the boy behind the name that gave her so much courage within the sleepless, unending nights.

She felt she knew better than most of the darkness that slept within the world and within people's heart.

"My New Year's resolution." She looked back up to the clock with it only being three minutes until midnight. "Is to be kind to everyone, and love those that are precious to me, no matter what." She would rise to be better, to give back into the world and to people even if they had taken everything away from her in the beginning.

But now she had everything within the world, a family. She had Natsu and Happy. She had Erza and the guild.

She quickly put her cup down and stood up as everyone else was, and held her hand out to Natsu. She helped pull him up and quickly reached into her jacket pockets to pull out the poppers.

She handed over a couple to Natsu and was about to wake Happy up who had fallen asleep long ago but feeling his purr reverberate through her body, her eyes softened as she decided to let him sleep.

Everyone began counting down from ten, and once the clock hit midnight, fireworks shot up into the sky with Freya and Natsu both shooting their poppers at each other getting string and confetti all over each other as they both laughed at the each other.


End file.
